[Burn]

I'm wondering what products to buy. I've found a website called Rei.com and they're telling me that I should get base cleaner, rubbing alcohol, metal scraper, P-Tex candle, wire brush, razor blade, diamond stone, gummy stone, wax, plastic scraper, a set of brushes and a waxing iron. I'm pretty sure there are a few thing that I don't really need here and some I should swap out. I've heard base cleaner and rubbing alcohol isn't necessary since i can just use the hot wax method and a bronze brush.

 

[lab49232]

I'm wondering what products to buy. I've found a website called Rei.com and they're telling me that I should get base cleaner, rubbing alcohol, metal scraper, P-Tex candle, wire brush, razor blade, diamond stone, gummy stone, wax, plastic scraper, a set of brushes and a waxing iron. I'm pretty sure there are a few thing that I don't really need here and some I should swap out. I've heard base cleaner and rubbing alcohol isn't necessary since i can just use the hot wax method and a bronze brush.

What are you actually looking to do? For wax you just need wax, iron and a plastic scraper. If you want to remove light edge rust, add a gummy stone. If you want to sharpen you'll need an edger. If you want to race in the olympics you can get yourself brushes, base cleaner, and more.

 

[stranger7]

If you want to keep it simple you can buy a kit like this:

One Ball Jay Hot Wax Kit

Free Shipping & Lowest Price Guarantee! The One Ball Jay Hot Wax Kit is in stock now.

www.evo.com

 

[ridethecliche]

OBJ is good stuff.

 

[Burn]

What are you actually looking to do? For wax you just need wax, iron and a plastic scraper. If you want to remove light edge rust, add a gummy stone. If you want to sharpen you'll need an edger. If you want to race in the olympics you can get yourself brushes, base cleaner, and more.

Mostly just general maintenance. Nothing serious as in competing or whatever

 

[Neil29]

Mostly just general maintenance. Nothing serious as in competing or whatever

Then a basic kit will get you going - I suggest getting a decent one with a decent iron - OBJ, racewax, etc. You can sometimes get a good deal on racewax kits on amazon if you are watching the prices. I got a cheap demon kit and have been slowly replacing parts - nice edge sharpener from racewax, roto brushes from purl and will probably get a digital iron next season. Oh and everyone has their opinion on best wax. A lot of people like OBJ or hertel - I'm a fan of Purl and mixing various temp wax with graphite wax (but i'm in southern california where the snow is really crappy so I use graphite to help protect the board.

I would be cautious of using base cleaners as they strip away all of the base wax so you essentially need to start over; its better to hot scrape and then do a regular wax over that.

 

[Chern]

tuning a board would be things like base repair (ptex), edges (gummi stone / sharpener)

Waxing a board would be a base cleaner, wax, iron, horse hair brush and maybe a wire one too.
I’d also suggest getting a small edge sharpener. Maybe a file to hone down the edges of top sheet to reduce side damage.

you found the info on REI.com, eh? They actually give members a free hot wax anytime at any of their stores. When I’m feeling lazy I just take it there. I definitely don’t save money as I usually buy something while waiting for my board to be waxed.

 

[Cambered234]

Then a basic kit will get you going - I suggest getting a decent one with a decent iron - OBJ, racewax, etc. You can sometimes get a good deal on racewax kits on amazon if you are watching the prices. I got a cheap demon kit and have been slowly replacing parts - nice edge sharpener from racewax, roto brushes from purl and will probably get a digital iron next season. Oh and everyone has their opinion on best wax. A lot of people like OBJ or hertel - I'm a fan of Purl and mixing various temp wax with graphite wax (but i'm in southern california where the snow is really crappy so I use graphite to help protect the board.

I would be cautious of using base cleaners as they strip away all of the base wax so you essentially need to start over; its better to hot scrape and then do a regular wax over that.

Rotobrush 👍
Hot scrape method for cleaning 👍

 

[jbourne84]

This "outdoor master tuning kit" is a pretty good price for what you get. I've taken the plunge into tuning my own boards this season and quickly realized that to do a decent job (not talking olympic level) you do need quite a few things. I got a similar kit by some other chinese brand that I think has the same iron, the iron is perfect, everything else is varying levels of good enough. It gives you enough of the tools to decide how serious you want to get. I would definitely get the 76$ version with the diamond stones.

 

[Burn]

If you want to keep it simple you can buy a kit like this:

One Ball Jay Hot Wax Kit

Free Shipping & Lowest Price Guarantee! The One Ball Jay Hot Wax Kit is in stock now.

www.evo.com

Kind of want something simple for sure. Just need the pure basic stuff that can do base repair, edge cleaning and waxing. Nothing major at all. Kinda keeping it as little as possible, but still able to do it all

 

[Chern]

This "outdoor master tuning kit" is a pretty good price for what you get. I've taken the plunge into tuning my own boards this season and quickly realized that to do a decent job (not talking olympic level) you do need quite a few things. I got a similar kit by some other chinese brand that I think has the same iron, the iron is perfect, everything else is varying levels of good enough. It gives you enough of the tools to decide how serious you want to get. I would definitely get the 76$ version with the diamond stones.

Check out that apron!
$76 for all that is a good deal. A great kit for someone starting out. You’ve got what you need and can upgrade as needed.

 

[Neil29]

you found the info on REI.com, eh? They actually give members a free hot wax anytime at any of their stores. When I’m feeling lazy I just take it there. I definitely don’t save money as I usually buy something while waiting for my board to be waxed.

They give the cheap $10 brush it over a rotating machine with wax that takes 5 minutes to complete. This is the same thing you can get at any mountain shop that rents skis/boards for $10 or less. Its good in a pinch and will last one day.

 

[Craig64]

Then a basic kit will get you going - I suggest getting a decent one with a decent iron - OBJ, racewax, etc. You can sometimes get a good deal on racewax kits on amazon if you are watching the prices. I got a cheap demon kit and have been slowly replacing parts - nice edge sharpener from racewax, roto brushes from purl and will probably get a digital iron next season. Oh and everyone has their opinion on best wax. A lot of people like OBJ or hertel - I'm a fan of Purl and mixing various temp wax with graphite wax (but i'm in southern california where the snow is really crappy so I use graphite to help protect the board.

I would be cautious of using base cleaners as they strip away all of the base wax so you essentially need to start over; its better to hot scrape and then do a regular wax over that.

I'd recommend buying descent brands ie Swix, ToKo, Holmenko etc. Purchasing Tuning gear for domestic use will probably last you a lifetime so it will be a one off purchase. I've been using a ToKo T8 in a commercial sense for around 15 years and it's still going strong. The T8 is an inexpensive high quality Snowboard Iron.

I am fortunate enough that I can afford to buy any price Iron and am happy enough to have another unopened T8 sitting on my workshop shelves ready to go if the original T8 ever breaks down. I need a back up Iron and most other tools ready to go in case they have an issue during the year so I can continue uninterrupted without slowing down the workload. That is how much I have faith in this product. The more expensive Irons will have digital temperature controls and an increased wattage on the plate.

ToKo® T8 Snowboard Wax Iron Review.

❄ ToKo® T8 Snowboard Wax Iron Review. ❄ Brand: ToKo® (ToKo-Swix Sport AG), ❄ Model: T8, ❄ Material: Aluminium 12.7mm (1/2") base plate, PEI heat resistant chassis/handle. ❄ Base Plate Dimensions: 160mm x 100mm (4" x 6"), ❄ Colour: "Yellow/black", ❄ Temperature Range: 100°C to 160°C (212°F to...

www.snowboardingforum.com

It is far better to buy wax in bulk ie 1lb/500g bricks and really you only need universal unless you are running cold temps.

I just go down to the plastic suppliers and get off-cuts of 5mm perspex out of their waste for free and cut up scrapers on the band-saw. This gives me the ability to make them around 150mm thick for easy control and resistance to filing down on each scrape.

I have all the branded scrapper sharpeners and don't use them finding a large sheet of heavy duty floor sanding machine paper 60 grit is the best on the garage floor for putting an instant 90 degree edge on a scraper with only a few passes. This is the key to scraping...., you need to sharpen on every board as the perspex edge will round off making the passes over the base a lot less effective in removing wax.

I have used a bastard file in a woodworking vice in the past as this worked well but you have to take the file out a fair bit to clean the teeth free of dust

I use large coarse grade scotchbrite pad with Velcro pad handle from the hardware store which is perfect for buffing up after scraping.

I have all the rotor brushes 100mm and 300mm which are the best by far under what a commercial machine can do as they give super quick and professional finish. If you are going to get a hand brush make it a number 1 priority to get the larger ones as they are twice as quick and far far easier to handle than the smaller ones.

Finish off with a large horsehair brush off is perfect for giving a polished professional look after rotor-brush but this is probably more of a luxury than a necessity for backyard tuners.

And I forgot...., You need a decent set of stands. either make them or buy the all metal ones.

ToKo® Board Grip 2.0 Review.

❄ ToKo® Board Grip 2.0 Review. ❄ Brand: ToKo® (ToKo-Swix Sport AG), ❄ Model: Board Grip 2.0, ❄ Material: Full metal chassis/parts, nylon and rubber, ❄ Size: Width range 8" to 10" (200 to 260mm), Height 6.25" (160mm) above bench top, ❄ Colour: "Yellow/black" , ❄ Price: $Au151.65, ($US109.95)...

www.snowboardingforum.com

I'm no expert but found over the decades of tuning that these tips are best techniques I have come up with for home use. I have probably done around 2000 boards/skis over the past 20 years.

 

[Burn]

I'm gonna follow up with another question. I feel like its better to not buy kit, that way I can get a little more customized set. That being said, i do have a list of things that I think should be there, but also not quite sure if I need them all;
Waxing Iron
Wax
P-tex
Plastic scraper
Metal scraper
Gummy stone
Polishing pad
Diamond stone
Flat file
Edge tuner

This is just a random list i put together from what i've seen in different kits. Any of these I don't really need? I probably need a brush, if so, do i need more than one and should they be different types of brushes?

 

[SoaD009]

I'm gonna follow up with another question. I feel like its better to not buy kit, that way I can get a little more customized set. That being said, i do have a list of things that I think should be there, but also not quite sure if I need them all;
Waxing Iron
Wax
P-tex
Plastic scraper
Metal scraper
Gummy stone
Polishing pad
Diamond stone
Flat file
Edge tuner

This is just a random list i put together from what i've seen in different kits. Any of these I don't really need? I probably need a brush, if so, do i need more than one and should they be different types of brushes?

You don't really need to buy ptex yet unless you already have some gouges. I maintain my edges every 3 - 5 rides with diamond stones so I pretty much never use a flat file. I'd probably rather get the edges professional tuned that flat file myself. There are different grits for diamond stones so get a 3 pack. Same with gummy stones.

 

[WigMar]

Here's my journey. I couldn't be more stoked on my tools.

 

[tanscrazydaisy]

I'm wondering what products to buy. I've found a website called Rei.com and they're telling me that I should get base cleaner, rubbing alcohol, metal scraper, P-Tex candle, wire brush, razor blade, diamond stone, gummy stone, wax, plastic scraper, a set of brushes and a waxing iron. I'm pretty sure there are a few thing that I don't really need here and some I should swap out. I've heard base cleaner and rubbing alcohol isn't necessary since i can just use the hot wax method and a bronze brush.

REI is a good store, bad for snowboard maintenance advice.

For repairs of deeper scratches and gouges:
P-tex candle
lighter
Metal scraper
Base cleaner (I only use it to spot clean for P-tex repairs).

Waxing, including hot scrape:
Table and vises (you can buy or DIY)
Ski iron (I started on cheaper analog, later upgraded to digital controlled with a heavier base)
Plastic scraper
Brushes: Metal (pre-wax scraping and post scraping to clean wax from the structure) & Nylon (Polish)
Paint brush (to brush the wax scraping off the board)

More advanced:
Horsehair brush
Rotobrush (since hand-brushing the nylon brush to polish hurts my shoulder)
Swix Fiberlene (lint free, and can suck up excess wax to reduce scraping mess)

Edges:
Gummi stone
Bastard file to reshape edges
Diamond stones (to polish the edges and for maintenance, if edges not damaged)
File guides (Base and side edges, use a multi-edge one to start if you want)

Waxes:
Cheap warm (hot scrape)
Base conditioning (usually my storage wax)
All-temp (most ski conditions)
Cold temp

Too warm of a wax for the conditions is slow. Better to air on a colder (harder) wax for glide.

 

[tanscrazydaisy]

What are you actually looking to do? For wax you just need wax, iron and a plastic scraper. If you want to remove light edge rust, add a gummy stone. If you want to sharpen you'll need an edger. If you want to race in the olympics you can get yourself brushes, base cleaner, and more.

Some ski areas have annoying uphills... which means you need to walk up or something once you lose momentum.

A faster board means you can make it up those hills and no need to dismount to keep going.

 

[lab49232]

Some ski areas have annoying uphills... which means you need to walk up or something once you lose momentum.

A faster board means you can make it up those hills and no need to dismount to keep going.

Yes that is the main point of waxing, a faster board.

Now if youre trying to make a point you need brushes and such to get that extra bit of speed, no. Brushes are 90% cosmetic. 2 runs after a wax and you can't tell if a board was brushed or not by feel, physical inspection or with a magnifying glass. The idea of cleaning wax and debris from structure for speed is an exercise in futility.

 

[money4me247]

Yes that is the main point of waxing, a faster board.

Now if youre trying to make a point you need brushes and such to get that extra bit of speed, no. Brushes are 90% cosmetic. 2 runs after a wax and you can't tell if a board was brushed or not by feel, physical inspection or with a magnifying glass. The idea of cleaning wax and debris from structure for speed is an exercise in futility.

It's ez to tell the diff if you just use an electron microscope =P

There was a Tommy Bennet vid on waxing with a pro US team rider - Senna & they are insane with their snowboard maintenance.

I did a bunch of research into this but it got too complicated & gave me a headache, so I just bought a RaceWax kit with the digital iron. I thought the Demon kits were super comprehensive & great value, but for me, I really just wanted a nice iron + basic kit.

If buying parts individually, it gets much more expensive (though you can pick out nicer individual parts & skip the junk you don't need), so I don't think you really need to do that unless you are planning a ton of DIY maintenance.

For me, mainly just going to be waxing (hence kit with the nicest iron). I may try sharpening the edges if needed, and maybe try p-tex on something super minor. Anything complicated, I would prob just take to the shop anyway.

edit: I think just iron, wax, plastic scrapper, and gummi stone is sufficient for simple starter kit. That's all I've used so far.

if wanting to be super fancy, I think roto brushes wld be really cool (faster than using a plastic scrapper at least).

Don't really need a vise unless you are doing edge work. Don't really need base cleaner (some ppl think it's worse for your board). Don't really need brushes (but brushing is kinda fun & relaxing, and makes you feel so much more pro). Don't need a metal scrapper unless you are p-texing. So most of the kit is not that useful unless you are also planning on p-texing or doing edge work.